High-level delegation in Ituri pushes for disarmament

A delegation comprised of members of the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the ambassadors of France, Norway and Spain, and William Swing, the UN secretary-general's special representative to the country, is currently on mission in the nation's troubled northeastern Ituri District to urge armed groups to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate (DDR), the UN Mission in the DRC, MONUC, reported on Wednesday. Insecurity has persisted in Ituri despite the inauguration on 30 June 2003 of a government of national unity, ostensibly bringing an end to nearly five years of war. MONUC spokesman Hamadoun Toure said at a news conference in the capital, Kinshasa, that the delegation began discussions on Tuesday with various armed groups, civil society organisations and the local population. "The delegation agreed to help reintegrate the combatants into civilian life, and then see if any of them are interested in joining the unified army," Toure said. Meanwhile DRC Interior Vice-Minister Paul Musafiri, a member of the delegation, proclaimed Ituri to be an arms-free district. "MONUC will lend its support to the success of this governmental initiative as it has already done in carrying out systematic searches in the city of Bunia [the main town of Ituri]," Toure said. UN forces in the district, known as the "Ituri Brigade", have often come under fire from various armed groups. The most recent incident occurred on Sunday, when militants killed one woman and wounded a UN peacekeeper. Two of the militants were killed. Musafiri announced in the town of Mahagi, northern Ituri District, that DRC President Joseph Kabila had appointed an administrator for Ituri, replacing an interim official who had been installed under the aegis of MONUC. Musafiri also reported that Kabila had invited leaders of armed groups in Mahagi to come to Kinshasa for negotiations with the transitional national government before the end of the week.